Signal-lamp.



PATENTED FEB. 14, 1905.

H. W. SOUDER.

SIGNAL LAMP.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 16. 1904.

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PATENTBD FEB. 14, 1905.

H. W. SOUDER.

SIGNAL LAMP.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 1e. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

witwassen Patented February 14, 1905.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VHOVFLL ll". SOUDER, OF TAMAQUA. PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONF-HALF TO ll'. l). ZICI'INER, OF L'ANSFORI'), PENNSYLVANIA.

SIGNAL-LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,285, dated February 14, 1905.

Application filed May 16, 1901. Serial No. 208,307.

Be it known that 1, HOWELL lV. Souper.. a citizen of the United States of America, and a residentof lamaqua, Schuylkill county, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful VInu'n'ovements in Signal-Lamps, of which the following' is a specification.

My invention relates in general to signaling' devices; and more specifically it consists of an improved form of electric signaling-lamp designed to be used in the system heretofore patented to me and described in certain pending' applications, including' my application Serial No. 167,316, filed July Q8, 1903.

As set out in said last-mentioned application, 1 have discovered that a certain specific relation between the signal-lamps and the resistance with which they are in permanent shunt connection gives the best results in systems of this kind, said relation being', broadly stated, in the proportion of one to four between the resistance of the lamp and the resistance with which it is in shunt. The construction herein shown discloses a particular and convenient form of apparatus for combining' such lamp and resistance. I have also discovered an improved means for hiding' from the eye of the observer the colored -g'lass plates used in lamps of this kind when said lamp is not lig'hted,

without in any way destroying' or diminishing' l the signaling' function of such lamp when lig'hted.

l`he preferred form of apparatus embodying' this invention is shown in the accompanying' two sheets of drawings, in whichd Figure 1 is side elevation of one form of signal-lamp with my invention applied thereto, parts being' broken away. Fig'. 2 is a detail showing' the various diaphrag'ms used in the sight-openings of the lamp, and Fig'. 3 is a vertical section of another form of signallamp with my invention applied thereto.

rlhroug'hout the drawings like referencelig'ures indicate like parts.

1 represents a lamp, which is preferably an incandescent electric lamp, supported in the bell-shaped casing' 2 shown in Fig'. 1 or in the c vliinlrical casing' 18 shown in Fig'.

ing' current supplied to it through the wires 3 1. A resistance coil or coils 5, of approximately four times the resistance of the lamp 1, is connected in shunt around the lamp, as at points 11 and 15.

lhe casing' .2 has suitable sight-openings on the side in line with the lamp, such as are afforded by the cylindrical extensions 6 G of thc casing'. Across each of these sight-opening's l stretch a iinely-reticulated .liaphrag'm, such as a. wire screen 7 of line mesh. Behind and inside of this screen I preferably place another diaphragm of translucent colored material, such as a plate of thin colored g'lass 8. Outside of the reticulated diaphragm 1 preferably place another entirely-translucent diaphragm, such as a thin plate of uncolored g'lass 9.

Current is alternately supplied to and cut otl' from the electric lamp 1 by means of any convenient signaling' system, which I have indicated in a conventional manner by the key 11 and battery 10, included in the circuit 3 1.

The resistance is conveniently placed in the uppercylindrical extension 1G of lampcasing' 2, from which it may be withdrawn downward Yfor inspection or replacement. '.lhe upperend of this cylindrical extension is provided with ventilating'opening's 13, protected by the flaring' skirt 12.

1T 1T are lugs or other convenient projections by which the lamp may be supported or suspended.

The lantern shown in Fig'. 3 is of the g'eneral type shown in my Patent No. 735,118, g'ranted August 1, 100B, with the wire screens T T, which constitutes a part of my present invention, placed over each of the coloredg'lass plates 8 8, set in the cylindrical casing' 18. This lantern also has the upper cylindrical extension 1G for the resistance-coils 5 5, (shown in broken lines,) from which the incandescent lamp 1 is suspended, as before. ln

this construction, however, the lamp is introduced through the aperture in the top of the casing', which is of larg'er diameter than the lamp-lnilb. rl`he cap 19 for the cylindrical ex- 3 and havi tension is made removable, as may also be the case in the construction shown in Fig. 1, though that figure not being a section this detail is not shown. In Fig. 3 the outer uncolored-glass plate 9 shown in the other iigures of drawings is omitted.

The mode of operation of my invention is as follows: The parts being assembled as shown, the lamp is connected up in a system of electrical circuits and circuit-controlling apparatus, which at the proper time will send current to the lamp l to convey information to the motorman of the passing' car as to the condition of the block ahead of him or in which his car is located. In practice a number of these lamps are connected up in series, as described in my before-mentioned application, and the resistance of the coils 5 being four times that of the lamp but little of the current passes through said coils normally; but if the lamp l is broken the circuit is not destroyed, a suificient amount of current then being forced through the resistance 5 to maintain the other lamps of the series in glow.

The main difiiculty with lamp-signals of this character heretofore has been the difliculty in telling in the day-time whether the lampwas burning or not. This diiiculty is especially heightened when a brilliant sunlight is shining upon the sight-opening ot' the lamp.- In such case the difference of illumination produced by the lamps lighting or extinction is hardly perceptible upon the colored glass which is usually employed in the sightopenings. The use of the finely-reticulated screen 7, however, has completely overcome this difficulty. The action of this screen is similar to that of the ordinary wire screen placed in the window of a dwelling, which shuts ott' the view of the outsider from the interior of the dwelling, but permits the person in the dwelling' to see clearly everything outside. If, however, the interior of the room so screened is brilliantly lighted by artificial light, then the outsider can clearly see whatever is going on inside of the room, but the person inside cannot see outside. Vhen applied to the signal-lamp, the action of the screen is of course to present a dead surface to the inspection of the observer when the interior lamp is not lighted, but when the lamp is lighted its rays are clearly visible through the screen. If the ordinary glass plate colored green or red is placed inside of the screen, it will be shut off from View when the lamp is out, but will show clearly red or green when the lamp is lighted. The outside plate of glass 9 of uncolored and thoroughly translucent nature is used to keep thc dust from settling on the screen 7 and thereby impairing its power to transmit light-rays. The lamp-casing 2 being open at the bottom, the lamp serves at night as a means for illuminating the track or station-platform over which it may be placed.

The advantages of my invention comprise the pronounced nature of its signaling effect by day as well as by night, its convenient construction and ease of inspection, and the economy of signaling-current produced by using a shunt-resistance of exactly the right amount, such as will cause a maximum of current to normally pass th rough the signaling-lamp and at the same time protect the circuit against disruption in case of a breakage of any one lamp.

The arrangement of the resistance above the lamp in a casing open at the bottom and having ventilation-openings at the top produces a constant upward current of air, which tends to keep both the lamp and the resistance cool.

It is evident, of course, that various changes could be made in the details of construction illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and also that certain of the features vof construction shown might be employed without the others and that the relative location of the parts might be varied so long as the principle of operation above described be retained. The glass diaphragms might be dispensed with, only the wire screen being used in the lamp. Any other form of lamp which could be conveniently lighted and extinguished might be substituted for the electric lamp.

Having therefore described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is- I l. In a signaling system the combination of a lamp. means for lighting and extinguishing the lamp, a casing for said lamp provided with a sight-opening, and a finely-reticulated diaphragm stretched across said opening.

2. In a signaling system the combination of a lamp, means for lighting and extinguishing the lamp, a casing for said lamp provided with a sight-opening, and a finely-reticulated diaphragm stretched across said opening, to-l gether with a diaphragm of colored translucent material also stretched across said opening inside of the reticulated. diaphragm.

3. In a signaling system the combination of a lamp, means for lighting and extinguishing IOO the lamp, a casing for said lamp provided with a sight-opening, and a finely-reticulated diaphragm stretched across said opening, together with a diaphragm of colored translucent material also stretched across said opening inside of the reticulated diaphragm, and a diaphragm of colorless translucent material stretched across said opening outside of the reticulated screen.

4. A signaling device comprising in combination an incandescent electric lamp, a casing for said lamp provided with a sight-opening and a wire screen of tine mesh stretched across said opening.

5. A signaling device comprising incombination an incandescent electric lamp, a casing for said lamp provided with a sight=opening and -a wire screen of fine mesh stretched across said opening', tog'ether with aplate of colored g'lass stretched across said opening' behind the screen.

6. A signaling' device comprising' in conibination an incandescent electric lamp, a casing' for said lainp provided with a sight-opening' and a wire screen of fine mesh stretched across said opening', together with a plate ofcolored glass stretched across said opening' behind the screen, and a plate of uncolored glass stretched across the opening' outside of the screen.

T. An electric signal-lamp having' a resistance-coil bridg'ed across its terminals, the resistance of the coil being' approximately four times the resistance of the lamp.

S. In an electric signal-lamp, the combination of a tapering' reflector, a cylindrical upper extension thereof, a resistance fitting' into said upper extension and an -electric lamp depending' from said resistance.

9. A casing' for an electric signaling-lamp, and resistance comprising' a tapering' reflector, a cylindrical upper extension having' circumferential perforations near its upper end and a flaring' cap surrounding' said circumferential perforations.

10. In au electric signal-lamp the combination of a tapering' reflector opening` downward, a c vlind rical upper extension thereof provided with Ventilating' side openings near its upper end, a resistance fitting' into said upper extension, an electric lanip depending' from said resistance, and a flaring' cap surrounding' said ventilating'-opening's.

1l. In an electric signal-lamp, the conibination of a lamp-casing', an upper extension thereof, communicating' therewith, a resistance-coil located in said upper extension and an incandescent electric lamp suspended from said resistance-coil, the aperture com municating' between the casing' and its extension being' of larger diameter than the lamp-bulb.

12, .In an electric sig'nal-lantern the combination of a lamp-casing', an upper extension thereof adapted to receive a resistance-coil and a removable cap for said extension.

Signed at Lansford, Pennsylvania, this 11th day of May, 190%.

HOVYELL SOUDER.

\\"itnesses:

Bun'r Furrz, H. Enma. 

